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Manes was born in 2016 within the large music scene of Nébula, a renowned Pamplona bar and home to groups such as Ex boyfriends either Kokoshca. Their mix of psychedelia and krautrock has taken them to the catwalks of the Fashion Week from New York putting music to the designer’s collection Ullah Johnson.

Since the release of their first LP they have played at festivals throughout Europe, the United States and even won one of the most prestigious awards in European music, the MME Awardan award they share with artists of the stature of Dua Lipa either Rosalia.

The band formed by Oihana (guitar and voice), Leire (bass), María (keyboard) and Lauri (drums) has just presented its second album, a journey into the most intimate of the concerns of its members and a reflection on modern life, stress and human relationshipswhich despite having been composed and written before the pandemic, is almost premonitory just with its title: strange days.

With a first edition sold out both nationally and internationally, Melenas are a clear example of perseverance, work and success in Spanish independent music, from Pamplona to the whole world. Now they present this second feature film in Madrid during the month of May on May 8 and 9 at the Vermouth Sessions organized by Madrid localities, and on May 29 in Madrid’s Enrique Tierno Galván park with The Well Beloved on the occasion of Extra Viewfinders.

Has there been a resignification of the songs of strange days since the pandemic?

When confinement caught us and we were about to release the album, we were clear that it was in it just because of the title, but the songs also talk about being alone, of withdrawal, something that in the end everyone has had to experience.

Has it helped you have another point of connection with your audience?

We had doubts about whether to release it in confinement in case it was risky, if people would listen to it, but we didn’t regret it. We are happy because people have had more time to listen to it calmly by being at home. There have been people who have written to us saying that the songs have helped them and have reached them in a special way.

In fact, there is a song, Science fictionwhich talks about a time when we couldn’t stop playing, recording and we needed a day to be with the phone off, calm and at home… and then look, they gave us every day.

What has changed from the first LP to this second one for Melenas?

Many things, the first LP was recorded almost with some of us learning to play the instruments. Thanks to the first album we were able to play a lot, have more records, compose, learn how a group works… It’s really another job for us, it takes us a lot of time. It has also allowed us to know how to go to more places musically on the second album.

Does the “women’s band” label bother you?

We are delighted to be a speaker or an inspiration for the bands that come after us. There needs to be more women in all areas, both above and below the stage: technicians, producers, promoters… If that requires quotas in festivals or women’s festivals to give visibility, that’s fine. And I hope the time will come when it is not necessary and it will be as natural as picking up an instrument and simply playing. Everything is creation and creation has no gender.

Does the treatment regarding male bands change on stage?

We have been very lucky in general, we have sometimes encountered technicians in rooms who have treated us as if we did not know what we were talking about; I don’t know if because they are men or simply idiots.

Why Manes?

The name came about after about three months of testing options, and it stuck with us because we all had long hair in those days and because it was the way people referred to the quinquis, as if saying “look at that long hair.”

In a time like this of cultural and political centralism, is it possible to make music from a city like Pamplona?

Our experience has told us that yes, not enough to make a living from it, but we live in Pamplona and we move a lot both inside and outside the peninsula, in the end it is possible.

What does it feel like to sing in Spanish outside of Spain and function as a band?

Sometimes we forget that we sing in Spanish, playing in France, England or the United States are things that still seem surprising to us. We make music and that’s it, people get it. We listen to music in many languages ​​and we like songs, at the end of the day it’s about connecting musically even though you don’t know what the lyrics say.

Is the public different inside and outside of Spain?

Yes, we feel it, when we play abroad there is a different connection, perhaps because we have more to do musically with what is outside. The American public is very diverse, there are people of all kinds and you appreciate the interest in buying records, talking to bands or sharing music, something that perhaps we don’t have as much here.

How did the collaboration with designer Ullah Johnson come about to play at one of her shows at New York Fashion Week?

It was quite exotic for us, we were at the Nébula on a Friday in January and we received an email from the Ullah team inviting us to play at the parade and a month later we were there. We had to adapt and rehearse the repertoire to the rhythm of the models. It was a great experience to experience both the parade and being there. behind the scenes with models, makeup artists…

Do you stick with Fashion Week or El Nébula?

Fashion Week is cool to experience once, but we stick with the Nebula, which we always have here.

You now have several concerts in small towns around Madrid on the occasion of the Vermut sessions. Is it positive that culture moves from within the cities?

It is perhaps the positive part of all this, music is reaching spaces that were not available before, playing in university cloisters, squares or theaters, such as the Gayarre in Pamplona where we played a few weeks ago, is making music accessible to everyone. Like for example the Madrid Vermouth sessions, which are also free.

8/9 MAY🏹 MADRID Community✨
SATURDAY 8>>San Lorenzo del Escorial
SUNDAY 9>>Chinchón
Within the vermouth sessions, both at 2:00 p.m. FREE until capacity is reached with Unidad y Armonía (the band😎)
See you there🥃✨ pic.twitter.com/OrzYzbdw4m

— Melenas (@melenasband) April 29, 2021

What Spanish bands are you listening to now?

We really like Verde Prato, which is the solo project of Ana Arsuaga from Serpiente; also to Adiós Amores that recover the pop of Elia and Elizabeth or Jeanette; Elbis Rever, a very interesting band from Bilbao or Hickeys who are from Madrid.

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